Grant money possible for Victoria County

The county budget is not yet set in stone. It must first be announced in a public hearing Sept. 13, Victoria County Judge Don Pozzi said. The Victoria County Commissioners Court will adopt a final budget Sept. 20.

Up to $27,000 in grant funds might become available to Victoria County.

The criminal district attorney's office applied for a grant under the Southwest Border Prosecution Initiative, District Attorney Steve Tyler said during Tuesday's Victoria County Commissioners Court meeting.

The grant application recommends the money go toward prosecutorial and detention services, Tyler said, although the funds can likely be used for other things, too.

There is no guarantee Victoria will receive the full $27,000 - or any money at all - Tyler said, explaining the committee will compare Victoria to other cities that apply, gathering data about number of cases tried and the like.

Victoria County has housed federal prisoners and has also jointly prosecuted cases with the federal government, Tyler added.

County Judge Don Pozzi said he would like to see the city receive the additional funding.

"Anything we get that we can use toward general fund obligations always helps," he said.

Tyler also discussed plans to submit an affidavit to decrease his pay by $4,000 to help other officials through proposed county pay cuts. He said he would like to see that money go to the constables, the lowest-paid elected officials.

"I know that you have a hard business in front of you," he said to the commissioners. "I'm just looking for a way I might be able to help and that's it. I don't mean it any other way."

That $4,000 would go back into the general fund and the commissioners court can not guarantee it will go to the constables, Pozzi said.

The proposed budget was filed Tuesday and it will not be adopted until Sept. 20.

"Nothing is final until the budget and tax rate is accepted," Pozzi said.